Two area men who shine in classical ballet are soaring toward professional careers.

Spencer Hack is now in the first year of a two-year apprenticeship at the National Ballet of Canada, the only Canadian company to present traditional full-length ballets by the world’s top choreographers.

Since its founding in 1951, the NBC, based in Toronto, has performed for more than 10 million people.

Hack, who started his dancing career at age 3 with Nigel Burgoine, founder of Ballet Theatre of Toledo, long dreamed of dancing with the company. “I could see determination in his eyes from the start,” said Burgoine.

The son of Tim and Jacque Hack, Spencer attended West Side Montessori School until leaving at age 14 for the NBC dance academy.

During senior year, “I was invited by the NBC to audition for their apprentice program,” said Spencer by email. The audition consisted of taking class with the company under the keen eye of Karen Kain, artistic director, and other staff. His appointment came earlier in 2014, before June graduation.

These days, Spencer, 18, takes class, rehearses, and performs with other apprentices as well as dancing in productions with the main company.

“The schedule varies slightly depending on what we are working on. Some days we spend most of our time rehearsing with the company on productions like Manon or Nijinsky, which we will be performing this month.”

Before leaving Toledo and the BTT, Hack distinguished himself in a variety of roles, from Fritz in the annual production of Nutcracker to original roles in Narnia and Cinderella.

Another BTT star also moved up and out this year.

Harrison McClintock, 14, is in his first year at the University of North Carolina School for the Arts, where he is pursuing a degree in dance.

Known locally for his performance as Peter in a recent BTT original production of Peter and the Wolf, young McClintock is distinguishing himself in North Carolina.

According to his mother, Caroline, he has been cast in several key roles for the company's upcoming production of Nutcracker. And he is on the path to competing in an international dance competition in March, 2015.

Contact Sally Vallongo atsvallongo@theblade.com.

First Published November 12, 2014, 5:00 a.m.